Arming Myself With Information

June 9, 2012

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Now that C is 13 months old, it’s about that time…to think about when to start trying for baby deuce. PPD caught me off guard last time (well, let’s be honest, the pregnancy itself caught me off guard as well!). This time, I want to be thorough, knowledgeable and have a game plan.

I’ve talked to my #PPDchat lovelies about resources they’ve utilized and they came up with a list for me:

My first read was the book by Jerusha Clark, which was interesting. I enjoy reading other women’s stories because I see myself in them. Her book is an excellent resource for partners, family, and friends of women with PPD.

I’m simultaneously working through Karen Kleiman’s, “What Am I Thinking? Having a Baby After Postpartum Depression,” and Shoshana S. Bennett’s, “Pregnant on Prozac.” Kleiman’s book is very interactive. You’re able to write in your answers to specific questions that she’s laid out to help you examine your mindset and develop your plan for dealing with a subsequent episode of PPD. Bennett’s book is really helping me figure out the treatment options for mood disorders during pregnancy, which treatment plan is best for me, which doctors I will need to have on my “team,” and the risks of both treating and not treating depression with medication during pregnancy.

Once we move into our permanent apartment and our new insurance starts, I want to start assembling my team of doctors that I will need to see me through this (primary care provider, OBGYN, psychiatrist and/or therapist). Upon the recommendation in Bennett’s book, I’ve contacted my state coordinator of Postpartum Support International to see if they have a list of specialists in my area. Ideally, I’d like my doctors to have experience with PPD and treating women with psychiatric medication during pregnancy. We’ll see if I get lucky and they exist in my area! *fingers crossed*

I’m eager to talk things through with my “team” and figure out if I should try to wean off of my medication, or to a lower dosage, before trying for baby deuce; or if it’s best for me to keep going with what is working for me. I’m excited to expand our family and give C a sibling, but I also want to be super prepared. And when I factor in my PCOS, only time will tell if conceiving baby deuce will be a challenge.

Have you read any other books about this topic that helped you? Have you had a baby after PPD? If so, what was your experience like?

Comments

We just revealed to our families that we’re 8 weeks along with our second. Our first is just about to be 15 months, and I keep having to remind myself that he’ll almost be 2 when this one is born; which doesn’t seem as bad in theory!

There’s so much I’m stressing out about with being pregnant, having #1 relying on me so much, and how I’m going to manage it all. I can’t imagine the struggles and fears that go along with PPD on top of all these normal concerns and stressors.

It sounds like you’re doing a great job and going into it extremely prepared!

I am right there with you on trying for a second. Who would have ever thought trying for another baby would be so complicated?! I am also reading “What Am I Thinking” & think it’s helping to relieve the anxiety a bit. Thanks for listing these books, I will have to check out the others. Being prepared with a plan is the best thing we all can do!

I’m 22 weeks pregnant with #2 and #1 will be 4 this week. We waited a while.

I tried to reduce my medication dose when I got pregnant and it was a spectacular failure so I went back up. Not my ideal situation, but it seems to be necessary.

I’m reading What Am I Thinking, which is sort of helpful, but I’m not sure it’s going to be a saviour. I think my best resource is having done this before and knowing more about what to expect. As my shrink said, it simply can’t be as bad the second time because I know more.

About Kristin

I'm Kristin, a 20-something mom to two children. C is a tube-fed 3-year-old boy with SPD and Baby Jo is our energetic 1-year-old daughter. We live on a Wisconsin campus where Hubster works. Welcome to our madness! Read More…

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